The Opportunity Network actively tracks resources and tools as part of our commitment to creating access and sharing with our communities. If you are looking for a type of resource that you don’t see here, please let us know. Or, if you have a resource/tool to suggest we add, please submit it here.
Resources & Tools
Emotional Wellness/Personal Centeredness
Alma
A website to help you find high-quality, affordable mental healthcare.
Headspace
Free meditation and mindfulness resources for New Yorkers.
The Trevor Project
Suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ young people. They provide information and support 24/7, all year round.
Doxy.me and Signal.org
Tools that are HIPAA compliant and maintain confidentiality when communicating with young people.NYC Well
Free, private mental health support. Help is available in more than 200 languages. You can access support 24/7, 365 days a year.
Financial/Occupational Wellness
Federal Student Loan Debt Relief
Get up-to-date information on the current status of the Biden-Harris Administration’s student debt relief efforts. The site includes information on eligibility, opting out, and how to avoid scams related to debt forgiveness.
One Fair Wage
Free cash assistance to restaurant workers, rideshare and delivery drivers, and other tipped workers and service workers.
General Assembly
Learn to code for free.
NYC Emergency Cash Assistance for Rent
Sign up for SNAP benefits or cash assistance from home.
NYC Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
If you have received an electric, gas, or heating disconnect notice, you can apply for emergency financial help. You may also qualify for help if you have a low supply of heating fuel or a broken boiler or furnace. Active SNAP/Cash Assistance clients and clients receiving SSI who live alone are automatically eligible for HEAP benefits.
Free Financial Counseling From NYC Financial Empowerment Centers
Counselors can help you create a budget, manage bills, save for essentials, deal with student loans, and more. Book an appointment online.
Social Wellness
Webex
Cisco offers the free version of Webex with no time restrictions. It will also allow up to 100 meeting participants and has added toll-free dial-in features with a 90-day license for businesses that are not already customers.
Verizon Lifeline Program
Verizon offers discounted service plans for low-income households for wireless service and cable/internet in areas that support Fios.
Spectrum Internet for Low-Income Households
- 60 Days of Free Broadband Service for New K-12 and College Students
- In-home WiFi service available
- Free modem and Security Suite
- Limited-time offer
- No data caps and no contracts
- Check eligibility on the website
Low-Cost Service From Xfinity
- Sign up for low-cost internet for $9.95 per month.
- You may qualify if you are eligible for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, and others.
- Support is available in Spanish and ASL, as well as other languages.
- Sign up by phone at 855-846-8376 for English and 855-765-6995 for Spanish.
Intellectual Wellness
NYC Public Libraries
- Brooklyn Public Library
- New York Public Library (Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island)
- Queens Public Library
Virtual Museum Visits from Google Arts & Culture
Peruse everything from Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, Seoul’s National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, The British Museum of London to the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
NYPL Free One-On-One Tutors
Get free online homework help from one-on-one tutors. For older students, there are study materials and practice tests for PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP, and GED exams, as well as state standardized tests.
Culture Pass
With a library card from the Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Public Library, or New York Public Library (serving the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island), you can reserve free passes to 100+ cultural institutions across NYC.
Hoopla
Instantly borrow digital movies, music, eBooks, and more with your library card.
EduMate NYC
Free virtual tutoring to NYC public school students. Tutoring includes all classic school subjects and the arts, preparation for standardized tests, and guidance on the college application and essay-writing process.
Cool Culture
Many schools and community centers partner with Cool Culture. If yours does, you’re eligible for free museum passes, events, and more!
PressReader
Free digital access to thousands of newspapers and magazines from around the world with your library card. Log in via your library's portal:
Physical Wellness
Health
Low-Cost Healthcare Services
You can find low-cost healthcare services at a NYC Health + Hospitals location near you by visiting nychealthandhospitals.org or calling 844-NYC-4NYC (844-692-4692) or 311, or you can find your local community health center by visiting findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass
High School Summer Pass is Planet Fitness’ free summer membership that welcomes high school teens ages 14-19 to work out at any of its more than 2,500+ locations from June 1st to August 31st.
NYC Cooling Assistance Program
The Cooling Assistance benefit helps eligible households buy and install an air conditioner or fan up to a cost of $800.
NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
Free membership for individuals between 18 and 24 is available to the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation's extensive network of recreational services. Recreation centers offer facilities such as indoor pools, weight rooms, basketball courts, dance studios, art studios, game rooms, and libraries.
YMCA of Greater NY's Teen Night Out
Free, fun, high-quality, and youth-informed workshops, activities, and class options for youth ages 13-18 years old, including access to equipment, gyms, and group classes at participating branches.
Health Insurance
If you need help signing up for health insurance, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has Certified Application Counselors who can help you figure out if you are eligible and how to sign up. For more information, call 311 or visit nyc.gov/health/healthcoverage. Help with insurance enrollment is free and available in multiple languages, regardless of immigration status.
If you do not qualify for insurance, you may be able to enroll in NYC Care, a program that provides low-cost and no-cost services to New Yorkers who cannot access health insurance due to their immigration status or ability to pay. To sign up for NYC Care, call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) or ask to meet with a Financial Counselor at any NYC Health + Hospitals location.
Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic is a student-run organization providing free healthcare for uninsured individuals over 18. They are open for in-person and telemedicine appointments. Services include Wellness & Sick Visits (preventative and maintenance), STI/HIV Testing, Psychiatric Services, Physical Therapy, Social Work & Counseling, and Referrals.
The Institute for Family Health's mission is to provide affordable health care for all who need it. They offer a sliding-fee discount program and other financial assistance. Eligibility is based only on income and family size. No one is turned away. Services include Core Services, Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Dental Care, Care Coordination, and Insurance and Benefits Enrollment.
COVID-19 Resources
- NYC COVID-19 Vaccine Website: Includes information on vaccines for the uninsured.
- NYC Vaccine Finder: For COVID-19, flu, and monkeypox vaccines, including accessible locations.
- The NYC Health + Hospitals AfterCare Program connects New York City residents with long COVID to healthcare services and other resources to help them recover.
- Justice NYC offers an extensive resource list for people in NYC with long COVID symptoms.
- Get Help for Long COVID in NYC
- Resources - Long COVID Physio
- Pacing and Management Guide
Food
Food Help NYC
Search tool to find locations that offer free food by location (food pantries and soup kitchens).
Food Bank NYC
Searchable map to find food banks by location as well as distribution schedule for mobile pantries.
HRA's Community Food Connection
For kitchens and pantries.
City Harvest
Searchable map that shows locations that are currently distributing food, free of charge, throughout New York City. Location sites include soup kitchens, food pantries, community fridges, City Harvest Mobile Markets®, and City Harvest Community Partner Distributions.The City’s Guide for How to Get Help Paying for Food and Groceries in NYC
A guide on using SNAP and other NYC food security programs.
Other
Legal Resources for Immigrant/Undocumented Community Members
- Immigrant Rights Fact Sheet from the National Immigration Law Center
- Protecting Immigrant Families: An advocacy organization that provides many resources for immigrant families, including:
- Resource Guide for Undocumented Individuals in NYC: This was created during COVID-19, so some resources may be outdated.
